Baby Steps
by Simply Delicious
Summary: Natsu and Gray mysteriously become toddlers, aaand as usual it's up to Lucy Heartfilia to save the day. Nalu and Gralu.
1. Chapter 1

**Baby Steps**

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer:** I do not in any way own the anime/manga Fairy Tail.

**oOo**

"Juvia's beloved Gray-sama!" a distraught voice cried out.

"Natsu?" another yelled, utterly shocked.

"Are they toddlers?" someone asked the question they were all thinking.

"What? No way, that's not Natsu and Gray," a random voice answered.

The guild hall was noisier than usual what with the guild members currently forming a circle around two small boys, the two –now toddler- boys being none other than Gray Fullbuster and Natsu Dragneel. Natsu was presently shielding a crying Gray from the overwhelming crowd- all of whom were adults.

"Aww, Gray's just too cute," slurred Cana, "I could just eat him up!"

"You stay away from Juvia's beloved Gray-sama!" a riled up _blue_-nette yelled.

Cana just cringed, "Jeez, relax Juvia, it was a joke."

The girl who name was Juvia Lockser, a former S-Class water mage, leveled the drunken brunette a cold, unrelenting glare, and a merciless aura completely engulfed her figure. Everyone else just stared, used to Juvia's paranoia antics. Just as she was about to ensure that Cana wasn't after "her" man, well "her" baby in this case, another soft voice stated their opinion.

"For one, I think Natsu is plain out adorable,"

Everybody froze.

The two female mages sneered at one another.

"_Lisanna._"

"_Juvia._"

Both girls had this my-man-is-better-than-yours rivalry. No one would dare to move, they all knew too well what happened when this two ladies made eye contact; it usually involved name calling, _loud_ name calling, and a heated argument which seldom turned to fighting. Although the girls despised one another, they shared one thing in common: **_LUCY_**_. _They hated the celestial mage.

"Listen water faucet, it's obvious that Natsu is clearly cuter than your Popsicle, no offense to Gray," Lisanna haughtily claimed.

Juvia bumped her forehead into Lisanna's.

"See here, you white haired bimbo, Gray-sama is simply more lovable!" Juvia declared.

The take-over mage was now irritated and her irritation was showing all over her face. Juvia smirked triumphantly; she always felt good after winning a battle.

"OH _HELL_ NO, YOU DID NOT JUST GO THERE!"

The rest of the evening, Lisanna and Juvia kept insulting each other. The hall became rather hazardous. Everyone, seeing the danger, stayed a rather safe distance from them.

"NO NATSU IS!" Lisanna growled, holding a book and preparing to hurl it at Juvia.

"GRAY-SAMA!" Juvia hissed a chair in her grasp.

Just then, their favorite celestial mage came into the picture, waltzing into the Fairy Tail Guild as if it was any other day…

"Hey guys, how's everybody doing?" the blonde mage asked cheerfully upon entering.

Everyone turned to her with terror written upon their faces. Mirajane's arms flailed frantically. The two bickering teenagers faced the source of the bright and chipper greeting, a deadly eerie aura encircling them. Natsu rushed to the owner of the voice; Gray who had been shedding tears stopped and smiled.

"**_LUCY._**" Juvia and Lisanna growled in unison.

Lucy felt herself shrink - what was that she had done this time exactly?

A young girl by the name Wendy pointed downwards. The celestial mage gave her a puzzled expression. She felt something tug her skirt. She looked down and saw Gray and Natsu.

_'Oh no,' _Lucy mentally groaned.

"Lu-chan" The two giggled.

"Shit..."

Immediately, Lucy whirled around and saw the two girls giving her glares.

"Open Gate of Maiden, Virgo!" Lucy reached for her celestial keys in panic.

Virgo appeared, standing in front of Lucy, looking at her owner. "You called?"

"Yes, please get me out of here!"

Virgo gave a single nod and dug a hole underneath the blonde. Unable to react, Lucy along with mini version of Gray and Natsu, fell into the pit.

"**_LUCY_**!"

***** Lucy's Apartment*****

The celestial mage gave an exasperated sigh, "Oh Kami, what I am going to do?"

She didn't know how she got involved. Lucy shook her head. Natsu and Gray stared at the stressed out mage. Natsu paid extra attention to the blonde's facial expression. He noticed exhaustion and annoyance, but the one that stood out the most was the tension. He frowned. Were he and Gray that much trouble? Gray also detected Lucy's distress. He didn't like seeing her like this. So he did what he did best in his toddler form: cry.

Lucy was so lost in thought that she didn't seem to be aware of the boy's presence, until Gray let out a loud wail. Startled, she jerked upwards. Lucy turned to a sobbing ice-make wizard. She mentally slapped herself. She should've known better; she knows that both Natsu, and Gray would be able to sense if something was off.

She cuddled the blacked hair boy, his tears staining her shirt, but she didn't care.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you cry," Lucy cooed and held Gray closer to her.

The boy just whimpered in reply. Lucy gave a sad smile. She lifted him so she could see him. Gray who still had visible tears trembled. She kissed his forehead. Gray, ceased his bawling, and nuzzled Lucy's face. She returned the gesture.

"For a baby, you sure are sweetheart," Lucy giggled at his display of affection.

Natsu pouted. Lucy giggled and brought him up, snuggling with both toddlers. For once in her life, she felt loved.

oOo

**Author's Note:**** I hope you liked it...**

**This is my very first Fairy Tail story.**

**Tell me what you think.**

**Review! :) And thank you to my beta reader Ichihime Kurosaki :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Baby Steps**

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the manga/anime Fairy Tail in any way.

**oOo**

***** Lucy shopping; Lisanna and Juvia creeping to the side*****

Lucy sighed, looking at the miniature Gray and Natsu, both clinging onto her. This had been going on for quite some time now, ever since they left her apartment to be completely honest and accurate. Sighing once more, she returned to the task at hand. Getting out of her stupor, she decided to continue shopping for baby stuff, well technically toddler stuff, as well for food. She walked down the aisle, searching for the ingredients necessary for banana pudding.

"Where's the vanilla bean?" Lucy pouted, as she thoroughly searched every shelf, gently nibbling her bottom lip, "Mou~"

Natsu was so busy clutching Lucy's left leg that he didn't notice a certain bluenette snatch Gray away. Gray, who was clinging to Lucy's _right_ leg, was pulled away full force causing him to let out a startled yelp.

The bluenette, Juvia Lockser, successfully snatched her 'beloved' up and away from the blonde. Looking at Lisanna, she gave a thumbs up, signaling that the coast was clear to the Takeover Mage. Lisanna just smirked. She grabbed the Dragon Slayer undetected. Lucy, who was too busy still searching for some vanilla bean, didn't notice the boy's disappearance. The two girls grinned idiotically, running out of the store.

Our favorite Celestial Mage, who had found the vanilla, spoke, "Ok, I've got everything, Natsu, Gray, let's go."

No reply.

"Natsu? Gray?" She frantically turned around, looking for her teammates. "Oh no..."

Lucy rushed to the cashier, paid and ran out.

***** Fairy Tail Guild*****

Lisanna and Juvia were sat at their own tables respectfully. Juvia with Gajeel accompanied by Levy and Pantherlily. And Lisanna sat with her siblings, Mirajane and Elfman Strauss.

Natsu had a frown plastered on his face with tears in the corners of his eyes as the white-haired girl tried to drown him with cooing and giggling; while the Water Mage gushed on how cute Gray-sama looked, much to a crying ice-make wizard's dismay.

"I don't think Natsu and Gray like being with Lisanna and Juvia." Wendy noted.

"Of course they don't child, they both like Lucy." Carla remarked.

"T-They do?"

"Yes child, it quite painfully obvious," Carla sighed, "Everyone knows it; the only one who doesn't is Lucy."

"Oh my."

"Isn't Gray-sama utterly adorable?" Juvia asked a little too loudly.

Lisanna gave a menacing glare, "Ne, Mirajane isn't Natsu pure cuteness?"

"Aye, there they go again." A blue exceed sweat dropped.

"Happy," the girl called.

The blue cat froze, "Yes, Lisanna?"

"Tell me, isn't our little Natsu endearing?" She asked creepily, smiling one of those smiles that said 'if you don't agree, you're a goner'.

"A-A-Aye..." the blue exceed stuttered.

Lisanna stuck her nose up, smiling victoriously. Juvia brushed her aside and turned to the iron dragon slayer sitting next to her, "Gajeel, don't you agree that Juvia's beloved Gray-sama is delightfully appealing?"

Holding Gray up to his face, Gajeel stared at the snot-dripping, sobbing raven-haired boy; the black-haired man internally gagged. But merely glancing over at Juvia, who had a deadly look on her face, not him not to voice his true opinion.

"Y-Yeah, adorable..."

Juvia cackled in victory, "In your damn ugly face!"

"Why you..." The white-haired girl put Natsu to her side, and got up in Juvia's face... again.

"You mad?" Juvia taunted, also putting Gray down to her side.

Sparks flew everywhere, and everyone once again backed away.

***** Lucy's apartment*****

"Gray! Natsu!" the blonde Celestial Mage yelled, searching her home desperately for the two toddlers. "Come on, it's not funny, anymore! Where are you?!" She half screamed, half whimpered.

"You guys..." She whined, a hiccup or two escaped her and Lucy's vision began to get blurry. "S-Seriously, stop joking around, t-this isn't f-funny anymore..."

No answer.

She slowly slid down onto her knees, bawling into her hands. Tears streamed down her face endlessly. Removing her hands, she looked around her room, seeing everything in blurs.

"I-I failed them... how could I? I'm such a h-horrible person..." Lucy sniveled.

After some time, she ceased the water works and decided to head to Guild, to inform the Guild members how she had lost her two dear friends. She sighed and stood up. Going to the bathroom, she fixed her appearance, splashed some water onto her face, and redid her hair into its usual style.

Heading to the door she gave one last look around and stepped out of her apartment, clutching her celestial keys for comfort. In return they gave her a warm glow, reassuring her. Smiling softy, she walked in the direction of the her guild.

***** Back at the Fairy Tail Guild*****

"How many times do I have to tell you, that Natsu is way better than Gray?!" A white-haired girl sneered.

"Actually, it's the other way around, Gray-sama is the better option!" A bluenette banshee shrieked.

Everyone else mentally sighed. How long was it going to be until these two ladies were going to be on good, or at least better, terms? The answer was simply never. The only time they ever got along was when they saw Lucy. It seemed that their hate for her was the only thing that brought them together.

And, as per usual, Lucy chose the worst time possible for her to make her debut.

"Guys..." Lucy groaned upon her entrance. "I have to tell you something, and it's about Gray and Natsu…"

The two girls put a halt to their bickering and glared at the blonde. Lucy looked up to see two very angry ladies.

She felt herself mentally face palm – again. What was it that she had done this time exactly?

She wondered if fate really did despise her that much, if fate had made her fall into the situation that she had found Natsu and Gray in.

However when they saw her and heard her voice, Natsu and Gray cheered, running to Lucy - much to the girls chagrin. However Lucy paid no mind to their anger and hatred as she cried in relief seeing the two boys run to her.

"So you guys were here the whole time, thank Kami..." She hugged them ever so tightly, afraid she might lose them again if she let them go. Tears streamed down her face. "Don't you guys ever, and I mean _ever_, do that again."

Natsu and Gray hugged just as tightly and she put them down. "Goodness Gray, you're a mess. Let's get you cleaned up," Lucy smiled taking out her handkerchief. "There we go," she said as she wiped away all the snot.

The entire guild awed at this, except two mages. Lucy grabbed Gray's left hand and Natsu's right hand, bidding farewell to the Fairy Tail gang. As she made her exit, Juvia and Lisanna popped out nowhere and sneered.

"Look, I don't know who you think you are, but know this... Natsu is mine and Gray is Juvia's, ok?"

Lucy stood her ground holding their hands tightly, making the boys wince a bit.

"I don't care."

The girls gasped, as Lucy brushed by them with an angry expression, leaving everyone else dumbfounded.

"You just made a huge mistake... Heartfilia." The girls glared intensely at her retreating figure.

**A/N: And that's a wrap! Tell me what you think! And for everyone who reviewed and favored and followed! Thank you all! And Big thanks to my beta-reader Ichihime Kurosaki! Till next time! Ja Ne!**


End file.
